‘Rookie cop defended self in shooting brother dead’

POLICE officials yesterday clarified that a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team member’s act of shooting his brother in Mandaue City was the result of a legitimate operation.

Senior Supt. Edward Carranza, acting deputy regional director for operation of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas, said that PO1 Teresito Jermin Ligan only defended himself when he shot his brother, Teresito.

Teresito died in a Cebu City hospital yesterday dawn while PO1 Ligan is still recuperating from a gunshot wound in the head.

Carranza said it is the family’s decision to file charges or desist from filing them.

PO1 Ligan is a member of Mandaue City’s SWAT.

Supt. Crisaleo Tolentino, chief of Mandaue City Police Office’s SWAT, told reporters that his operative was merely doing his job and had no intention of killing his brother.

Tolentino said that PO1 Ligan and his fellow police officer PO1 Jerome Encllado were conducting a roving patrol when they received an armed person alarm in Sitio Kalubihan, barangay Jagobiao.

Tolentino said when they arrived at the place, Teresito, Jermin’s brother then shot him.

Recovered from Teresito’s possession was an unlicensed .38 revolver with three empty shells and three bullets in its cylinder./CORRESPONDENT CHITO O. ARAGON